In the latter half of 2015, Dr. Chris Duma was featured on CBS News – Los Angeles when the station featured a couple – Cindy and Mark – two of Dr. Duma’s glioblastoma patients. Their story is particularly moving because the two meet each other during a brain tumor support group at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach. Glioblastomas are brain tumors that are very cancerous and often spread rapidly because they easily invade and exist in normal brain tissue. Glioblastoma can be difficult to treat because they are made up of a wide variety of cells. Some cells may react positively to certain therapies, while other cells may have no response whatsoever to the same treatment. This is why glioblastoma treatment can often be so eclectic, and include a wide variety approaches. Also, glioblastomas have finger-like tentacles, that can protrude into brain tissue, leaving the cancer very difficult to completely remove – especially when they are growing near the parts of the brain that control important functions such as gross motor, fine motor, coordination and language. Because of the quick, evasive nature of glioblastomas, this dangerous form of brain cancer has, on average, about a 14 month survival rate.

Despite their odds, both Cindy and Mark have already passed their three year mark. An influential factor in their success may have been Dr. Duma’s patented Leading-Edge pinpoint radiation technique. Dr. Duma explains that glioblastomas often edge out, and wend their way into the brain, but with Leading-Edge, he attempts to stay a step ahead of the malignant tumor. More specifically, Dr. Duma explains that with both Cindy and Mark’s treatments, he used the Gamma Knife to provide a boost of radiation to the affected are of the brain. Next, using pin point radiation, Dr. Duma treats the area of the brain adjacent to the tumor, the area of the brain that the tumor is microscopically invading. By doing this, the tumor has nowhere to spread, essentially being cut off at the pass.

Cindy and Mark offer no guarantees to your success when treating glioblastomas, however, they are encouraging examples of the power of advancing technology in neuroscience. Dr. Duma leads the nation in innovative neurotechnology advancements, and he does this with years of history and success. While no two brain tumors are the same, there is high probability that he has been involved in cases and treatments similar to your own. His team is comprised of industry leaders. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to them to set up a consult or seek out answers to your questions.